The Saga of our Promises
by VampireMassacrexx
Summary: My own collection of stories/one shots about Leon and Frey and their unpredictable and eventful lives. From their greatest moments to the lowest points imaginable, as this collection grows so does the saga that is their relationship and their lives with one another.
1. The Vixen In Me

Hello, VampireMassacrexx here with another fan fiction featuring Leon and Frey.

This idea came to me when I was trying to think of a way for Frey to fluster Leon after all, it's always amusing to see Leon's blush face. The problem was trying to make the story somewhat funny. When I started to write this, I thought it'd be easy after all, I'm rather good at teasing people in real life (well...I'm good at sarcasm if that counts) so I thought writing this would be a breeze.

Turns out I was wrong however, I still think the story turned out okay in the end. I hope you enjoy some flustered Leon.

 ***Warning*** May contain spoilers about Leon's past.

*I own nothing to do with 'Rune Factory 4', its locations, characters etc.*

 **Rated T**

* * *

 **Chapter One: The Vixen In Me**

Leon barged into the room without permission. It wasn't like he was doing it to be rude in fact, the only reason he barged in unannounced was because he was there to surprise his beloved girlfriend upon her return to Selphia after running a rather long errand for Arthur.

He'd been shocked when he'd discovered that the particular task Arthur had set for her would require her to be out of town for two whole weeks. Especially since he hadn't heard the news from the lips of the woman herself, instead he'd heard the news from Forte, the town's knight and one of his favourite teasing victims. Apparently, Frey had been planning to tell him the day before her departure but due to various things cropping up throughout the day, she hadn't gotten around to it and so instead, she'd left a goodbye note for Lin Fa to pass on to him.

But this was Lin Fa! Of _course_ she'd forgotten all about it.

Leon looked at the letter now, it read:

 **Dear Leon,**

Sorry that I couldn't say goodbye to you in person but unfortunately I didn't get the chance to. I really should've told you sooner about this task however, I thought that you'd feel forced to spend even more time with me in the run up to the trip and I knew Arthur would've gone berserk if you'd fallen behind with your translation work and so I decided for both our sakes that it was best to leave the goodbye to the last minute. This task will mean that I'm out of town for a couple of weeks. I've left you a key to get into my room in case of an emergency. Please behave yourself in there in fact, just _behave_ in general! I don't want to come back to numerous complaints about my boyfriend's constant teasing!

I love you and I hope that you are well whilst I'm not around although, I don't doubt for a second that you'll be okay.

 **Yours, Frey.**

Leon frowned at the note in his hand. He felt irritated beyond belief! The irritation wasn't really justifiable; he could survive a fortnight without Frey around. Of course he could. Couldn't he? After all, he'd survived centuries by himself asleep in a tower! Of course he'd be okay for fourteen days. Well…that's what he'd thought. In fact, he'd barely made it a day before he felt himself being driven to _insanity!_ He'd teased people despite his girlfriend's warning. He could almost imagine the look in her eyes whilst she wrote that, a mixture of desperation and pleading mixed in with a little bit of affection. Contrary to popular belief, Frey liked his teasing well…up to a point. He'd tried to keep himself busy by focusing all of his attention on his translation work but instead he'd found himself missing her smile, her emerald green eyes and just everything! Everything about her; about what made her Frey, the woman he cared for deeply. He cared about her so much that he was putting everything on the line for her.

Their relationship wasn't supposed to be after all, Leon was still bound to his past and because of that their relationship wasn't allowed to go beyond the boyfriend/girlfriend stage. But he'd still accepted her plea to go out with him. Some selfish part of him stopped him from saying 'No.' he'd just had to date her; he couldn't bear the thought of her being with someone else. He couldn't stand the thought of losing her even though she wasn't his to claim. Also, she'd asked him! She thought that he'd make her happy. Not Vishnal. Not Dylas. Him! How could he say no to her happiness?

Okay, admittedly, he was clutching at straws but at least he was clutching at _something_.

Leon sat upon her bed, sighing to himself softly whilst removing his turban and rubbing at his temple which was beginning to throb, painfully. He shouldn't be here. This was Frey's room! He had no right to invade her privacy even though he had a key, it was for emergency situations only and making sure that he was the first person she laid eyes on when she returned to town was hardly an emergency situation! Although, it could be argued that him laying eyes on her after being deprived of her cute face for two weeks _was_ a priority situation but he didn't think she'd fall for that excuse easily.

The bed creaked as he stood up in order to leave. Just then he heard the sound of her door opening and closing with a slight creak. He turned to face the source of the noise and his eyes widened when he saw the tiny frame of his girlfriend strolling into the room.

She placed her keys on the table near the entrance to the door seemingly distracted by whatever she was looking at in her rucksack.

"Aah…it seems our darling Princess has returned. Shall I roll out the red carpet?"

She jumped back in shock, clutching a hand to her chest whilst her face twisted with annoyance until she realised who had spoken. "Leon?"

He smiled what felt like his first proper smile since she'd left. "Hey you."

She threw her arms around him as he laughed at her excitement. After what seemed like a long time and yet at the same time not long enough, Frey pulled back to look at him. "Leon, I've missed you!" She exclaimed.

"I don't doubt that you have after all, I know that you're addicted to me; my eyes, my looks, my infectious and yet strangely charming personality...maybe you should seek out a cure for the addiction before it consumes you."

She rolled her eyes at him before stretching up to peck him on the lips. His eyes widened in shock and a blush started to make itself known on his cheeks. "Did you really have to tease me the moment I walked through the door? Especially since I have a surprise for you."

He pulled away from her entirely so that he could grab his fan. He forced himself to sound nonchalant when he replied. "A surprise? What kind of surprise."

She giggled mischievously. "Close your eyes and promise to keep them closed until I return and then you'll find out." Her arms were now behind her back, still clinging to her rucksack. Whatever she was hiding from him was in _that_ bag!

Leon searched his girlfriend's features in an attempt to work out what it was that she was hiding from him but alas, she had a perfect poker face and nothing could unravel the secrets behind it.

He considered his options for a fraction of a second longer before cautiously replying. "Okay. I'll bite." He walked back to her bed and proceeded to lounge against the multiple cushions and over-stuffed pillows. Seriously, who needed that many cushions and pillows in order to sleep at night?! He closed his eyes and folded his hands on his lap. "You're not going to draw on my face are you?"

Frey sounded distracted as she started to leave the room. Her heels clicking nosily against the floor, irritating his ears to no end! "Huh? Oh, no, of course I'm not. How old do you think I am?"

He laughed, heartily. He wanted to open his eyes to see if she'd left her rucksack behind but he'd promised her. He kept his promises.

Well…the majority of them.

* * *

After what seemed like an eternity, Leon started to become restless. How long was he _expected_ to keep his eyes closed for?

"Frey? Is everything alright? You haven't just left me here, have you?" He started to lift himself up from the bed all the while keeping his eyes tightly shut and using his other heightened senses to check out the surroundings.

Suddenly, he heard her approaching him and he flopped back down onto the bed. The excessive amount of pillows providing a soft landing.

"You can open your eyes now!" She sounded incredibly excited by the surprise she had in store for him.

His eyes snapped open and he turned his head to face her. Only to turn to face in the opposite direction almost instantly as he felt his cheeks return to the crimson colour they were earlier.

"They're cute aren't they? Whilst I was on my trip, I had some free time and so I decided to check out the local shops and they had this place called a **Fancy Dress** **Shop**. When I went inside they were selling clothes and accessories but they were all themed. They had pirate costumes, vampire outfits and these accessories that I just had to buy! What do you think?"

She'd just _had_ to choose these particular dress up items, hadn't she? She'd chosen to buy fox ears and a tail. Of _course_ she had. She'd even drawn fox features on herself with face paint!

…Did she want to kill him?!

He turned slowly back around to face her and he found her beaming at him, excitedly. Completely unaware of the effects she was having on him and his self-control. He had to gain the upper hand somehow. He just had to! "You know, if you weren't already so naturally adorable, I'd make you wear them permanently."- He leaned towards her so he was barely and inch away. He decided to fluster her in the only way he could think of- "The way you look right now makes me want to scratch behind your ears and brush your tail well…it makes me want to do other things too but I want to do them with you all the time, not just when you're trying to emulate my style."

Her eyes widened at him and her cheeks turned just as red as his already were. Then, surprisingly she grinned at him, an impish glint to her eyes. "Well, you know my inner vixen has come out to play today and if you play your cards right, she'll come out to play again any time you want her to."

She took a step back as Leon jumped up from her bed in shock. What was **_that?!_**

She leaned against the wall, arms folded over her chest as the tail brushed against her legs. She raised an eyebrow at him. "I think I won this round, don't you? You really are a bad influence on me, Leon. Although, I can now understand why you think teasing people is such an amusing hobby. Your reaction to that line was priceless! But just for future reference, I'm not as innocent as you think." With that she told him that she'd see him later after she'd had a rest and she'd be without the fox tail and ears. ...He couldn't decided whether he was disappointed or relieved by that fact.

Leon was in such a state of shock he failed to notice that he'd left his turban behind on Frey's bedside table.

* * *

With that line hanging in the air, Leon left his girlfriend's room feeling dumbfounded. How had she gotten the upper hand on him so _easily?_ After he'd managed to control his erratic breathing and returned to his pre-flustered state of being, he reflected upon the events of today and smirked, finding that he was actually rather amused by his adorable girlfriend's attempt at playing him at his own game. If anything, his life was a lot more unpredictable and entertaining when she was around.

And that's just the way he liked it.

* * *

Well, I hope you enjoyed this story. This is the first story in my Leon/Frey 'one shot' collection. **What?** **Another one?!** There's already so many of them on here. Well, yeah, that's where the inspiration for my own came from. The song that inspired this piece is **'Keeps Gettin' Better' by Christina Aguilera.** So...yeah, that's all for now. I'd love some reviews about this story so if you have the time, please leave me one.

Until next time. Xx

VampireMassacrexx


	2. Fears and Longings

Hello, VampireMassacrexx here.

I wasn't planning on having such a large break between the first story in this Collection and the second one but I couldn't find any time or the motivation to type up the next story but luckily, I managed to find some and so here it is.

What inspired this story was the fact that I wanted to show a more vulnerable side to Frey. Many characters in 'Rune Factory 4' have phobias. Forte is afraid of ghosts, Margaret of heights and Dr. Jones of blood but I wondered what it'd be like if the protagonist was afraid of something. I won't give away which fear I've chosen to give Frey but I hope my reasoning behind it intrigues you. I also hope that Leon trying to comfort Frey about her phobia id handled well. I must admit, I suck at giving advice and so if you can think of a way to improve upon what he says to her then let me know.

The reason I called this Collection 'The Saga of our Promises' is that I'm hoping to put a promise in each story, not because I was trying to be clever with the title or anything. I'm not sure if that's the way it'll play out but I hope it will and I hope you enjoy this story.

 ***Warning*** May contain spoilers about the first and second Arcs of the game.

*I own nothing to do with 'Rune Factory 4', its locations, characters etc.*

 **Rated T.**

* * *

 **Chapter Two: Fears and Longings**

Frey sighed sadly. Today was the day. The worst day of the year, in her opinion though the likelihood of anyone agreeing with her point of view was very slim. For this was the day that welcomed in Summer every year. Yep, Beach Day. The one day where people spent their time parading around in as little material as possible because _apparently_ in the short transition between Spring and Summer, the temperature rose so high that it was justifiable to do so!

She didn't hate it to begin with, when she first experienced it during her first Year of living in Selphia. She'd just rescued Amber and was taking some time out to become stronger and to get to know everyone better before tackling the challenges that came with the Water Ruins. The day was rather fun in all honesty. She wore a two-piece pink swimming costume. To be honest, it wasn't very flattering especially when compared with Forte's or Margaret's but it was all she could afford so soon after moving to Selphia.

It would be during her second Beach Day, a whole year after her first one that she'd come to detest that day and all it brought with it. By that time; Dylas and Dolce had joined their ranks and her relationship with Doug had become well…rocky to say the least. She was determined to save both Venti who by that time was incredibly sick and Leon, the man she'd never met but was willing to put her life on the line for if it meant being able to awaken him from the slumber that he was no doubt experiencing since the other Guardians had all been subjected to that.

It was little wonder then that she didn't feel like taking a day out to relax by the Beach with all of the other residents. How could she? When she arrived at the Beach, everyone was laughing and joking with each other but she could see it in their eyes, they all felt as if the town was incomplete. After all, with the acting 'Princess' of Selphia locked in a heated rivalry with someone they all viewed as a vital part of the community, the protector of the town possibly _dying_ and with an air of uncertainty looming over the town and its future, it's little wonder that they felt that way. However, what they didn't know is that those tortured looks were like daggers in Frey's heart. She didn't blame them of course, but she was already tormenting herself enough without _them_ adding to it especially since they'd begged _her_ to join them at the beach in the first place!

She'd left the beach early after their faux contentment became too much to bear. Due to everyone being at the beach, the rest of the town was practically barren save the travellers who were unaware of the town's annual event. It was during this time that the fear set in. She wasn't wearing the unflattering costume from last year. Oh no, she'd chosen a green bikini that revealed a little too much for her liking but she'd been in a hurry and had grabbed the first costume she'd seen in her size and so here she was, wandering the streets of Selphia alone with nothing but her guilt-ridden thoughts for company. She saw group after group of travellers in the town square when she was approaching her room and for some reason, it seemed like all of them were staring at her. She could see a few of them raking her over with their eyes, no doubt catching an eyeful of Selphia's Princess in a swimming costume, but they were in the minority. For the most part, as she walked through the crowded area, the travellers just gossiped. They were asking about Venti, jeering at Frey and seemingly shaking their heads in disapproval at Venti's saviour apparently putting a day at the Beach with her friends above the safety of Selphia and of Norad.

By this time, Frey had had enough! She ran into her room and slammed the door behind her. Her heart pounding and her ears ringing loudly; a tight knot had formed in her stomach whilst her legs had begun to shake violently. Eventually she collapsed on the ground, the door behind her the only thing offering her support. No one was there to comfort her. Mind you; it was not like she could turn to any of them. It wasn't that she didn't trust them, it was just that saving Venti and the last Guardian was her responsibility! She had no right to complain about it and so, for the rest of the day and for most of the night she cried and allowed her fear to consume her completely...

* * *

This time around, the terrible experience from the previous Year had been engraved in her mind and was even sometimes the subject of her nightmares. This time around, Venti was nowhere to be seen within the town but at least her relationship with Doug now had a sense of stability about it. Hey! Someone as cheerful as Frey appeared to be all of the time had to look at the positives. This time her swimming costume was another bikini but it was more flattering of her figure than the childish pink one and the ridiculously skimpy green ensemble of the previous two years.

She glanced at herself in the mirror and sighed yet again but this time with a sense of resignation rather than sadness. "I can do this! I…I…I _can_ go out there and smile. I'm _their_ Princess. I _have_ to be okay no matter what I face. So what if I'm suffering on the inside? This is just a stupid phobia! A stupid childish phobia. You've faced down Ethelberd; you've defeated terrifying monster after terrifying monster, you have no excuse to be afraid of this! I can no- I _**will**_ overcome this."

With those unconvincing words echoing around in her head, Frey started in the direction of her door. As her hand made contact with the handle, she had just a second longer of hesitation before finally bracing herself enough to face what awaited her…

* * *

Leon tapped his fingers against the grass impatiently. He was sat leaning against a tree near Dragon Lake as he watched some of the other town residents enjoying the sun and the sand as well as splashing about in the cool water of the lake itself. Leon himself was in no mood to play at least, not without his favourite teasing victim around. Despite his teasing façade, Leon himself was a very guarded man; he had no time for splashing around and playing in the sand but he always had the time to be a tease. Today he'd dedicated his time to teasing Doug and Dylas mostly but for the most part he was bored out of his skull. Festivals weren't Leon's favourite thing in the world, he detested structure and having a day practically planned out for him was excruciatingly tiresome and was often a test of his patience.

Well, at least it gave him an excuse to walk about in nothing but a pair of swim shorts.

Leon rose from the ground and snuck away from the onslaught of people at the lake. He rubbed his hand against the back of his neck, not paying much attention to what was in front of him; he knew the route back to the Inn like the back of his hand. All of a sudden he felt a sudden impact. He reached out to steady the young woman who had just crashed into him; she was a familiar figure with green pigtails and rosy red cheeks except today she was wearing a red bikini that flattered her figure rather than her usual warrior attire. From what he'd heard she hadn't had much luck when it had come to choosing her swimsuits for the last couple of Beach Days but he wouldn't know since he was still sound asleep in a tower.

He'd been saved by her just three days after Beach Day of the previous year. Apparently, going by the other townsfolk; Frey's behaviour was rather peculiar from the moment Beach Day started up until the moment she'd returned from Leon Karnak after saving him and _'saving'_ Venti. She'd worked herself to the bone trying to conquer the Delirium Lava Ruins as quickly as possible and as soon as they had a way to get into the tower, she'd gone there despite not having much of a respite between the two ventures.

He held her arms and raised an eyebrow as he took in her appearance. He felt his heart beating rapidly in his chest. It hadn't taken him long to develop feelings for her in fact, he'd had feelings of her since he first laid eyes on her after his long slumber although he hadn't become aware of the extent of his feeling for her until he'd comforted her and held her in his arms after Venti's passing just a couple of seasons later. But he couldn't act on them, he wasn't at liberties to do so. After a few seconds of silence, he finally commented, "Not bad, you look adorable in that although I'm pretty sure that's not the look you were going for."

She pulled away from him and wrapped her arms protectively around herself. "He-Hey! I wasn't going for any look. Now if you'd excuse me."

Frey pushed past him and headed towards the lake but as soon as she reached the bridge that she needed to cross in order to get there, she halted. Her breath caught in her throat and it felt as if the ground beneath her was shaking but it was probably just her own legs.

"Is there something wrong?" The deep voice behind her made her jump out her skin as she whipped back around to face him.

"I-I'm fine, thank you. It's just…" She turned her head and indicated towards the lake. "I don't want to go _there_." She admitted, the tears flowing freely from her eyes. She suddenly felt stupid. She way crying and in front of Leon! He'd tease her about this into the next century!

Leon watched her in silence for a few minutes before witnessing her moment of vulnerability became too much to bear. He grabbed his fan and flicked it out to hide the bottom half of his face before grabbing Frey's arm and pulling her in the direction of his room.

Frey didn't object to his pulling her along and she was grateful that she didn't have to go back in the direction of her own room since the Square was brimming with travellers again.

After they'd arrived in the familiar room, Leon pushed Frey down onto his bed and passed her a drink of juice before sitting in the chair at his desk. He watched her as she took a little sip before asking her about what was upsetting her.

"I just don't like this day. I used to when I first came here however last year, Venti-"– Frey grimaced with pain at the mention of her beloved friend. - "She…she was possibly dying and instead of rushing to save her I was here! In town! Dressed in next to nothing whilst watching my friends having fun and playing by the beach! Hearing the travellers as they jeered at me, not like I didn't deserve it. I should've been out there doing everything within my power to save Venti and to…to save you!" She'd rose from the bed and had started to grip at her hair as her tone became incredulous. Her tears started to flow again as fell to the floor, no doubt pulled down by her own grief and guilt.

 _So this was the reason._ Leon thought. The reason behind her odd behaviour the town had witnessed in the days that followed Beach Day. Guilt. Anger. Pain. They'd been her motives behind the rushed rescue mission.

He went over to her and wrapped his arms around her, she gasped in shock at the contact. Leon couldn't quite believe that he'd gone through with the sentimental gesture himself but he wanted to ease her pain. If he couldn't take it away completely, then he would do all that was within his power to show her that she wasn't alone. She could rely on him always even if he could never be hers and she could never be his. She turned around so that she could bury herself against his chest and as she did so, Leon said his piece:

'You don't have to feel guilty because no matter how much time it would've taken you still would have saved us. The town needed you to continue as if nothing had changed, they needed this festival; they needed the normalcy and that's what you gave them by taking part. By being there. You were and are entitled to breaks. You work so hard all of the time. If you'd been off fighting monsters and doing all of that brave amazing stuff that we all know that only you're capable of, then there's no way they could've enjoyed the festivities. Yes, they were worried about Venti but they were also worried about you and as for the travellers well…who cares? They were passing through. They didn't know just how much you cared, how much you all cared about Venti and the future of this town. Their gossip was based on hearsay, nothing more.

"If you ask me, you aren't afraid of Beach Day, you associate this day with the pain and the guilt that you felt last year but you have no reason to be afraid. I know that's easy enough for me to say but you really don't have to be because you're not alone and you never will be. Even if everyone else turns their backs on you- which, admittedly, I don't think will ever be the case- but if they do, then I'll still be here for you. No matter what."

She wiped the remaining tears from her eyes and sniffled as she met his gaze. "You mean that?"

"Yeah, I do. I promise to be there for you forever and always. After all, you're far too adorable for me to leave you alone for very long. Plus, making fun of you is one of my favourite pastimes. "- He ruffled her hair much to her dismay- "How would I fill up the hours of my day if I didn't have you around." His laugh boomed out around his room and eventually she joined in if a little hesitantly.

She grabbed his hand gently and started to play with his fingers. His laughter cut off rather abruptly as he studied her. A subtle heat began to rise in his cheeks and a wave of desire and longing came over it but he buried it deep. **_You're not allowed to feel this!_** He scolded himself mentally. "If I'm not alone then…then will you come with me back to the beach? I can't do this by myself! I still aren't brave enough believe it or not but Venti wouldn't want this for me! I know she wouldn't also, I think I'll be okay if you were there and if everyone else was too. All of my friends. Together. So…will you please come with me? I- I'd like you to be there." A blush rose in her cheeks with that last line as her emerald eyes met his piercing blue ones. They were still slightly red from all of the crying she'd done.

"Who am I to turn down an invitation from you, Princess? I'd be delighted to be your knight in shining armour."

"More like my knight in skin coloured swim trunks." She gestured towards the 'clothing'. "Just where did you get those?!"

"From the foxes at the tower; it's them turned into cloth."

" **WHA-?!** Really?!"

"Huh? No! I was just joking." He laughed again as he opened the door to exit his room. "I can't believe you fell for that! My cute, gullible Princess, I'm going to tease you and your descendants to the seventh generation about that."

Frey groaned. She knew that he would do, she couldn't believe she'd fallen for yet another one of his mind games. But through her embarrassment and the remaining traces of her unease, she felt a lot better about things. It was okay to be afraid of things after all, everyone is afraid of something. For Frey, it was letting people down but she hadn't let anyone down. She'd saved Leon; she'd saved her friends, Selphia and Norad. One day, she may even get the chance to save Venti for real but until that day came she would smile and overcome her fears step by step. As she and Leon walked back towards the beach, she glanced up at the man who seemed to always be there for her in her time of need even when no one else was and thanked him under her breath. She was glad to have him as her best friend even if he never wanted what she wanted; for their relationship to become something more…

* * *

I really like how this story ends, it's just that last line! Anyway, I hope that the third story in this Collection won't take as long for me to create but I can't make any promises. I would love some feedback for this story as I'd like some conformation that what I'm writing is actually good or if it isn't then what I can do to improve upon it. There isn't really a song that inspired this story but if I was going to choose a song that goes with it then it'd be **'I Got You' by Leona Lewis**. I'm not really happy with the title of this Chapter so if you can think of an alternative then let me know.

Until next time. Xx

VampireMassacrexx


	3. Our Words

Hello, VampireMassacrexx here, back with the third story in this Collection. Seriously, since I wrote the last one, I've had loads of ideas for adorable or funny stories to write down and yet none of them would turn out right no matter how hard I tried to make them. Then suddenly yesterday, this idea occurred to me and it worked out just fine! I was on such a roll with it that it ended up a lot longer than I intended it to be. This basically features an argument between Leon and Frey and so because of that, they're very out of character because, let's face it, none of us act like ourselves when we argue but I think this is the story that I'm the most proud of thus far because I think it ends on a really beautiful note. I hope you enjoy it.

This story is set after Leon and Frey are married but before Frey becomes pregnant. I've pushed the pregnancy back so it doesn't first get mentioned nineteen days after marriage which explains why Frey isn't pregnant yet in the story.

 ***Warning*** May contain spoilers about the 2nd and 3rd Arcs, Leon's marriage event, his past and about a certain surprise monster that only appears during a certain type of weather...

*I own nothing to do with 'Rune Factory 4', it's locations, characters etc.*

 **Rated T**

* * *

 **Chapter Three: Our Words**

"You know sometimes, I _really_ can't believe you!" Leon fumed, clutching his wife's arm and dragging her away despite her resistance. He didn't normally involve himself in situations like this nor did he make a habit of going against her wishes. After all she was a grown woman; strong, beautiful and perfectly capable of making her own decisions however desperate times called for desperate measures and unfortunately this was just one of those times.

"Leon, let go! I need to get back there." Frey struggled against his grip. Her husband wasn't hurting her but it was still annoying to be pulled about like this. She sometimes wondered if Leon saw her as just a child of some sort after all, he was a few years older than her and that's only if you didn't count the centuries he spent asleep in a tower. Also, an experience like that was bound to have an effect on someone and Leon was indeed affected by it. He sometimes had terrible nightmares which would startle him awake and Frey would comfort him until he was able to sleep peacefully again. Not only that but with the situation with Maria plus any other traumas he'd been through in his time that she was still unaware of, it wouldn't surprise her if he thought that he was a lot more mature than she was due to his life experiences. Despite his teasing exterior, Leon was a lot more guarded than he appeared. After the situation with Maria was dealt with, he became a bit more open but old habits die hard and Leon had spent so much time protecting himself that he still sometimes came across as difficult with others despite his best efforts.

Remind her again, why was Dylas classed as the socially awkward one?

She finally managed to escape his grasp (okay, in all honesty, he just gave into her demand but hey, they're practically the same thing, right?), and she crossed her arms over her chest whilst leaning against a tree. They'd somehow made it to Keeno Lake. Frey had no idea if this is where Leon intended to take her but she was just so angry at him that she honestly didn't care.

She looked at the muscular figure of her husband who was facing away from her. His tail was twitching with his agitation. He spoke to her with seething anger in his voice, "What were you _thinking?!_ " He turned around to face her, his eyes searching her face as if it held the answer to his question.

Frey shrugged her shoulders as she responded. "What? All I was doing was talking to some travellers; I don't know what the big deal is."

Leon opened his mouth to respond before closing it again. His eyes narrowed as he finally found the response he wanted to give. "I have no problem with you talking with travellers. After all, it is a part of your duties as the acting Princess of Selphia however, what I do have a problem with is you trusting that all of the people you meet have pure intentions. How naïve can you possibly be? No! Don't answer that. Seriously, not everyone who wants to get close to you will want to do so because they're kind, can't you see that?"

Frey felt hurt and betrayed by him. _'How naïve can you possibly be?'_ Did he really just ask her that? She couldn't remember the majority of her past and whilst she had been a resident of Selphia for quite some time by this point, she was still missing more information than she'd like to admit. All she had to go on in certain situations was instinct. In the situation that she'd found herself in, all she'd done was remain kind and polite to the group of travellers, that's all.

So why was it such a big deal to Leon?

There was so much anger inside her heart that she just lost it and snapped back, "You know what? It is more than just duty that made me be so kind to them. It was common courtesy, that's all. Not all situations require cruel jibes and teasing remarks, not like you'd know."

His eyes widened at her rage and all of his anger slipped away replaced by pain. "You think I'm cruel?" His voice sounded so broken.

But Frey was still seething; all she could see was red. She was tired of being overprotected or being treated like she didn't know any better. "You can be. Honestly, did you just involve yourself out of petty jealousy? Was it because it was a group of male travellers and so you felt threatened by them? Would you have involved yourself if they were all female? What a joke!" She spat.

Leon straightened his posture. You could almost see the mask of indifference as it appeared over his face. Rain started to fall around them, creating trails over Leon's bare skin. He shivered as it made contact with his tail and ears and he wrapped his arms around himself. He knew that she was just upset, that she was saying all of these things out of anger. Everyone said things that didn't mean when they were upset and angry.

But that didn't make her words sting any less.

"If you honestly believe that I involved myself for that reason then you really are naïve. I'm just going to go now, I won't stand for this! I'll see you later."

Leon left the lake without looking back. Frey was breathing heavily as the rain continued to pour and then all of a sudden, the anger left her. She could think clearly and guilt overcame her in waves. She covered her mouth with her hand as she began to cry. How could she have said those things to him?! What possessed her to do such a thing? Her legs caved in under her and she fell against the tree.

They'd argued before, of course. But normally over trivial things like Leon's teasing hitting a little too close to home or Frey putting herself in situations that were a little too dangerous and almost ended up with a trip to the Clinic but other than that, the two of them got along like a house on fire. In fact, whenever she was angry at something, Leon would always be her first port of call. He would listen to her problems, her worries and her fears and then advise her about what she should do next. It was times like those when it became obvious to her why he made such a good Priest back in his time despite his free-spirited side.

The only time they'd argued as bad as this was when they were still dating and Frey has snuck off to save Venti all on her own. Racing through Leon Karnak without the help of anyone even though they'd all offered and Leon had practically begged her to tell him when she was going to go there so he could help but she hadn't simply because she felt that bringing Venti back was her responsibility. After she disappeared from view when they'd defeated Ethelberd, Frey had felt like she'd let everyone down as she hadn't been able to save Venti in time and so when the opportunity to save her for real came to be, she felt the need to set things right herself.

* * *

After an undisclosed amount of time had passed, Frey stood up from her spot on the ground. She was shivering as the rain had clung to her clothes and was still continuing to fall however, she didn't care about it. She set off for home with her arms wrapped around herself. Goosebumps had appeared on them and her teeth were chattering so loudly that she couldn't hear anything else. When she arrived back to the room(s) she had shared with Leon for little over two seasons, her boots were squeaking as they made contact with the floor. There was no light in the room signifying that Leon wasn't home yet even though a storm had begun outside. The sky was rumbling with thunder and lightning.

Where could he be?!

She spotted something on the bedside table; it was a note with Leon's writing on it. She quickly scanned the note and her eyes widened in terror. Despite the state of her clothing, she grabbed her duel blades and sprinted out of the door.

She just hoped she'd make it in time.

* * *

Leon stood on the bridge, his arms braced against it as he sighed to himself. The rain had become worse whilst he'd made his way here. He thought back over the events of the day wondering where things had gone so wrong.

After yet another blissful night spent with Frey wrapped up in his arms, they'd awoken believing that the day was going to be just as peaceful as the majority of days before it. Frey had gone outside to take care of her farm chores and Leon had begun to work on a new translation job. Normally he still did his work in his old room at the Inn but today he'd decided to stay home. At around noon, Leon's eyes had begun to become strained and so he'd abandoned his work and set foot outside into the town's Main Square only to spot his wife surrounded by a group of male travellers.

Admittedly, he was a _little_ jealous of this however, he knew that it came as part and parcel with the package for Frey to have to deal with travellers like this. But just as he was about to head in the direction of Porco's place, he overheard something that made him uneasy.

"Why don't you come with us and we can show you where you can find these rare items? It won't take long and we can even help you to get rid of the monsters in the area, if it'd help." There was a slight sneer in the man's voice.

Leon quickly whipped around just as his wife responded; looking totally oblivious to how the men were crowding around her like vultures. She had the brightest and purest smile on her face and her eyes sparkled at the prospect of finding a new item that she could ship or use for forging new gear. "Okay, let me just go and get my weapon and then I'll come with you."

The men's eyes widened when they heard the word 'weapon', clearly they had no idea that they were dealing with Selphia's very own Warrior Princess. It put Leon's mind at ease when he thought that they'd back off a bit now but instead, they changed their tactics, " **Oh!** There's no need for that, the monsters only include a few Woolies, they won't attack us if we're careful. We just thought we'd offer in case the prospect of monsters put you off. We wouldn't want any harm to come to you now, would we?" The leader of the 'pack' reached out to grab a hold of her arm when Leon brought his fan down full force on his wrist.

"I'm terribly _sorry_ to interrupt this offer of what would no doubt be a spectacular day out however; I need to have a word with her right now and so unfortunately she can't accompany you."

The man's eyes widened at the hardened expression on Leon's face as he stuttered his response. "He-hey! That's too bad, man. Maybe next time, huh?" His face turned back to Frey at that.

Before Frey could respond, Leon said, "Actually, I can escort her to this place you're on about so if you just tell us where to go and what we're looking for then that'd be great."

Of course the group _couldn't_ provide an answer to that. They just stared wide-eyed and slack jawed at the pair. Leon had hoped that this would prove to Frey that the men had…ulterior motives for trying to make her go with them but instead she just said, "Oh! Is something wrong? Don't you know the name of the place or something? It's okay, I'll come with yo-". Leon had then pulled her away from them and headed to Keeno Lake and now he was here.

* * *

Leon tilted his head back and let the droplets of water brush against his skin. He wondered if he could've dealt with the situation in a better way than he had done but it wasn't in his nature to just say things outright. It was all twists and turns with him. However, it was wrong for him to refer to her as naïve. She'd lost her memories! How patronising could one man _be?_ Even though, personally he believed she would've responded the same even with all of her memories intact. She was just generous and good natured by instinct which is why it had shocked him so when she'd said those things to him.

He wasn't angry at her for saying those things, he should've explained himself to her but everything happened so quickly!

Just then, he saw a flash of lightning and heard a burst of thunder. He decided that he really should be on his way home however… would he still be welcome there? He didn't know that but he did know that they both needed to apologise to the other. They **loved** each other and they had to make things right. They'd promised to make each other happy and he knew in his heart of hearts, both himself and Frey were miserable when things were like this.

He turned his back as he started to make way for home when suddenly he felt himself being thrust forward through the air. He managed to catch himself in time and he whipped around to face whatever had attacked him. Then he remembered. There was a monster that appeared on this particular bridge whenever there was a Typhoon. Leon's eyes widened, he didn't have his spear with him! There was no way he could defeat this thing with magic alone. Hang on, the escape spell! If he could just cast that in time…

…It turned out the monster had other ideas and began to attack Leon in quick succession not giving Leon time to even attempt the spell due to having to dodge the attacks. Then, he didn't manage to dodge an attack, he was knocked backwards yet again but this time, he didn't manage to catch himself in time. Leon lay crumpled on the ground, pain lacing through every fibre of his being, his eyes closed tightly, denying what was going on around him.

Leon's mind was working in double time. He might die here and without having apologised to the woman he loved the most in the entire world! What if she blamed herself for his having come here? Nobody knew as well as Leon what it was like to be bound to past regrets he couldn't bear it if this remained on her conscience for the rest of her life. I'm so sorry, 'Frey. I love you.' He thought.

"Leon!" He heard a high-pitched female voice cry out behind him.

Well…at least her voice would be the last thing he'd hear.

 **"Leon!"**

His right ear twitched in response to the voice.

Suddenly the monster cried out in pain.

Leon's eyes snapped open and fell upon the figure of the Warrior Princess who was standing in front of him her posture showing her determination. She growled in rage as she launched herself at the monster and attacked violently. "Don't you _dare_ hurt my husband!" She screamed at the monster. The beast barely had a chance to respond to her flurry of attacks and it wasn't long before his was on his last legs.

Just then, Leon realised that the monster was about to launch a powerful attack at Frey and she hadn't realised through her anger. Leon used his last remaining but of strength to cast a prism spell around her in order to protect her. His eyes closed, and everything went dark.

* * *

After the monster was defeated, Frey turned around and spotted her husband's crumpled figure on the ground. The skies had begun to clear revealing the stars to them.

She leaned next to him and placed his head upon her lap. "Leon?"- She whispered. - "Leon, are you okay?"

There was just silence from him and then suddenly, he coughed and spluttered as his eyes slowly opened. Frey cast a quick healing spell in order to ease some of his discomfort. "Frey?"

She couldn't hold back her tears and she began to cry as she pulled him closer, "Oh, Leon! I was so worried. I'm so sorry about earlier. I'll understand if you never forgive me for what I said, I just-"

"Shh…" Leon soothed her. "It's okay, I forgive you and I trust you forgive me too…?" She nodded. "There, see? It's all right now so there's no need to cry anymore. Show me your smile, Princess."

Frey smiled as brightly as she could. She felt like an entire weight had been lifted of her shoulders. "I don't _want_ to argue like that again, not with you. If I had lost you and hadn't had the chance to apologise, I don't know what I'd have done."

"Well, since we're married and in it for the long haul, there's no guarantee that we won't argue like that again after all, there's only so much teasing you can take from me before you reach your breaking point." Frey giggled at his words. "But, I promise you that no matter how many times we argue or no matter how serious they are, I will always love you and I will always forgive you. We will always find a way to make things right, no matter what."

Frey rested her forehead against his whilst being careful of his wounds. "I promise that to you too, Leon. I'll love you forever. Never forget that."

They both looked up to the stars twinkling in the sky as their promise signified that despite the day's events, everything was now okay between them.

* * *

This story was inspired by the songs **'Words As Weapons'** by **Birdy** and **'Strong'** by **London Grammar**. I really hope that you liked this story. Until next time. xXx


	4. The Importance of Remembering

***Spoilers Warning*** May contain spoilers about Leon's past. **There are definite spoilers for his marriage event.** These are also featured in the explanation of this Chapter so don't read on if you don't want to come across them.

So...I've finally got around to posting Chapter Four of this thing. ...Took me long enough. *Sighs* Sorry Leon and Frey but life happened.

*Ahem* Anyway, this Chapter is inspired by a song called **'Snow Cherries From France'** by **Tori Amos** which I think really describes the interaction between Leon and Maria. I normally put songs that inspire my work at the bottom but this song was essential for the creation of this Chapter. There are also a few other songs but they're less important and so I will put them at the bottom.

You'll have to forgive me if this Chapter sucks in comparison to the others because whilst I knew the direction I wanted this Chapter to take, it stopped working for me about halfway through before picking back up again towards the end so...yeah.

I must update this Collection quicker in future because I love Leon with all of my heart and soul and I feel all sad and depressed if I don't get to spend a lot of time thinking, writing or experiencing his character especially when he's paired with Frey so...don't worry, my love for him is not going anywhere anytime soon.

 ***I own nothing to do with 'Rune Factory 4', its locations, characters etc.***

 **Rated T. *Warning*** Mild language in this Chapter.

* * *

 **Chapter Four: The Importance of Remembering**

Leon was startled awake by his own nightmares.

He was breathing hard and sweat was pouring down his body as his eyes grew accustomed to the darkness of his small room at the Inn, he tried to focus on the familiar surroundings as he tried to remember how he ended up here. He was no longer in Leon Karnak; he was in Selphia, he'd been saved by the town's warrior princess and he was no longer a relic lost to time.

He wiped a hand down his face and looked at the clock that he kept by his bedside, he didn't like time as he found it too restraining however, the clock had been a gift from his girlfriend so there was no possible way that he could hate it. Going by the clock it was just after three in the morning and he frowned at the thought of having to go back to sleep as it would allow for his nightmares to return to him if they so desired to.

He allowed his head to fall back against his pillows as he tried to work out what he should do next. Groaning to himself after a while, he decided to go and get a glass of water from downstairs since he was feeling a little thirsty. When he reached the kitchen, he started to hum as the water began to fill the glass when he suddenly heard a frantic knock against the front door of the Inn.

His eyebrows pulled together in confusion and he stood perfectly still for a moment- thinking that he'd somehow misheard and that the noise must be something else however, when he heard the knocking again a moment later, he set the glass down and proceeded towards the door.

It was probably just a traveller who'd been out drinking until the early hours before finally making their way back to the Inn and he rolled his eyes at the thought and wrinkled his nose, some people really did have no decorum!

As he finally started to pull the door opened, he spoke rather agitatedly to the guest, "You know, you're really lucky that someone is up at this time otherwise you'd be-" His sentence cut off with a choked gasp and his eyes widened considerably when he saw who was at the door.

It was Frey- the town's princess and his adorable girlfriend. She was crumpled on the ground, a hand holding her side as she looked up at him- her face drained of colour. She was shuddering and her breathing seemed to be laboured.

"H-help…" She stuttered.

His response was instantaneous; he reached down to wrap his arms around her as he began to fire all the questions that his mind could conjure up at her. "Frey, what happened to you out there? Why didn't you go to the Clinic? How badly hurt are you? Are you..."

As he pulled her up from the ground she fell against his chest, her arms limply grasping onto his shoulders for support as she tried to stand upright on her shaking legs. "I-I was going to go to the Clinic but I could barely make it from the Airship to here, there was no way I would've made it that far." She whimpered.

If he'd been anyone else, he probably wouldn't have been able to pick up on what she was saying due to how slurred her words were however, his heightened senses allowed him to hear her just fine. "O-okay well…I'll carry you there. Don't worry, you'll be okay."

Suddenly her grip on his shoulders tightened, her nails digging into him, "No! _Please_ , I don't want to go there, I don't want to wake them up at this time and besides, I have all of cures I need to deal with those kinds of problems in my bag pack; as long as I have them and get plenty of rest, I _should_ be fine until the morning and then I can go and get Dr. Jones to deal with the injuries, I'll be fine just please…I'm so _tired_."

He bit his lip as he continued to look at her. Admittedly, she did look so drained of energy and she appeared to already be falling asleep against his chest. After a moment, he sighed and after looking around himself, he scooped Frey up into his arms-bag pack and all- and brought her inside before shutting the door and carrying her up to his room. He placed her down on the bed whilst he lit a candle. He then moved a chair over to the side of the bed before proceeding to delve into her bag for all of the medicines she needed.

"Goodness Frey, why do you have so much junk in here?!" He muttered as he continued to work.

"It's not _'junk'_ , I use it for forging and crafting."

"I know, _I know_ -" He replied as he leaned forward again to distribute some other medicine to her. "-I'm just teasing. I know it's bad timing and all."

He waited for her to respond however, he quickly realised by her slower breathing that she was now fast asleep…in _his_ bed. Rolling his eyes, he realised that he no longer had a place to sleep but believe it or not, he was perfectly okay with this fact since it meant that he could keep an eye on her. Granted he wasn't a trained doctor or anything however, he would suffice until the morning especially since she finally looked so peaceful which was good since her earlier distress was painful for him to witness.

 _Just like her distress was painful for him to witness…_

Oh why did his thoughts have to take him there now of _all_ times?! He winced a bit and his lip curled up as he turned his face away from Frey. It was bad enough for his memories to torture him when he was alone but when he was around the one person who he was risking _everything_ to be with; it was just pure agony.

When she'd first told him that she loved him, he'd hoped that he'd misheard her but when she'd then gone on to repeat those words- his whole world was turned upside-down yet again. After all, he'd thought he'd come up with a fool proof plan for when he awoke from his slumber; he'd tease people and offer them advice when they asked him for it. He'd watch them grow and get married and then he'd help to look after their children. He'd help them to lead their lives and help to teach them about his time and culture whilst all the while maintaining a certain level of distance.

He'd had his chance at life and he'd given it up to save Venti- he had no right to try to claim anything now especially since he'd broken her promise to _her_. That broken vow might have robbed her of her life- it was only right that he was robbed of his own as recompense for his foolishness.

Nevertheless, he'd still agreed to become Frey's boyfriend despite his reservations. He figured that in the end she would leave him and live out her life in the same way all those other people would and he would become just a mere acquaintance (or if he was lucky, a friend) to her once more and so there was no harm in making her happy for a time until she got tired of waiting for a man who would never stop playing his cards close to his chest and then moved on to someone else who could be with her entirely.

But…as they'd spent even more time together and become even closer, he could tell that she had no intention of leaving him anytime soon nor did he _want_ her to leave and yet…he also did at the same time because it would spare them both of the pain later on. He didn't want to be responsible for yet another person he cared about suffering for the rest of their days…

* * *

"I'm leaving, Maria." He murmured. They were standing on a bridge, looking over the side at the water below. His arms were resting against the wooden barrier, his hands clenched together in front of him as he looked straight ahead of him refusing to meet the gaze of the girl he classed as a sister.

" ** _What?!_** W-where are you going?"

"You know where." He sighed, exasperated. He finally turned to look at her and she was staring back at him with wide horror-struck eyes, her mouth turned down at the corners in a disapproving frown. He didn't entirely understand her reaction but he didn't question it either.

"You're going to become a Guardian, right for Venti's sake?"

Shaking his head, he grabbed her hands as he spoke. "Not just for her sake, no, it's for all of _our_ sakes. We need her, Maria! Selphia needs her; the world needs her. I know that this is a huge sacrifice I'm making- I know that it's risky but I- I _can't_ be selfish."

"But what if this isn't what she wants?!"

"Then she'll have to hate me for it, won't she?" He smirked at the girl in front of him before speaking up again. "Anyway, we should get going. I have a few final preparations to make before we get this show on the road."

He started to walk away from the bridge but Maria seemed to be frozen in place. "But what about-"

"What about what?"

She shook her head at him. "It-it's nothing, don't mind me." Her voice seemed to catch and that should've been his moment…

He should've asked her there and then about what was on her mind. He should've made her spill the beans and reveal all to him however, he'd just continued on his way without looking back. They both continued to return to the town in silence; choosing to focus on their own thoughts rather than on each other- a mistake he'd come to regret the moment he realised the truth.

* * *

When Frey woke up the next morning, she still felt incredibly groggy and her head was spinning as her eyes opened slowly to take in her surroundings.

She expected to wake up in her own bed just like she did every morning however, she quickly realised that she was asleep in another person's bed and not just any bed, _Leon's_ bed! She tensed up at that thought however, as her memories of the night before returned- she recalled the events that explained how she'd come to be here in his room and relaxed considerably into the warm bed. Her hand clutched the pillow her head was resting on tightly and when she buried her head into it- she realised that it smelled of Leon. Not like that was surprising really- it _was_ his bed! But still, the scent of him made her feel so safe and secure just like when being wrapped up in his arms made her feel like that; he was her go-to person when she was upset or felt scared or threatened.

Leon always knew what to say or do in order to make her feel better. It was a trait that few others shared with him and even then he was the best at it. Sure, he was a tease and sometimes he did her head in (understatement of the century) but for the most part, he was fun, caring and considerate. He was always helpful and willing to spend time with her regardless of how busy he was.

She found herself smiling as she thought about all the things she adored about Leon whilst also taking in his scent. Just then, she opened her eyes for a second time and almost jumped back in shock when she saw Leon fast asleep in a chair next to the bed. Her cheeks went a bright shade of crimson: what would she have done if he'd opened his eyes and caught her sniffing at his pillow like a mad woman?!

As she sat up in the bed, she took in his sleeping form; he looked so peaceful as he slept which was strange as he often claimed to have _'bad nights'_. Maybe this had just been one of his 'good nights'? No, that couldn't possibly be the case after all, she turned up at his doorstep covered in blood and begging for help!

She reached her hand out hesitantly to press it against his chest. His bare skin was warm against her fingers whilst the material of his dressing gown was soft against the palm of her hand. Sighing to herself softly, she found herself wondering-not for the first time, mind you- about what bound his heart so tightly that he couldn't give himself to her fully. She'd never really questioned him about it as she didn't want to make him feel guilty nor did she want him to feel obligated to reveal all to her especially since she'd told him that his reasons for vowing not to marry anyone didn't matter to her which they didn't even now after they'd been together for a while.

"Thank you for taking care of me last night." She whispered to herself, not expecting a reply due to him still being asleep. She was about to pull her hand away when a hand suddenly clamped around wrist. _ **"Gah!"** _ She shouted as she flinched from the shock of the contact.

"You're very welcome."- A sultry voice spoke up as he grinned deviously at her. - "You seemed to be enjoying the entertainment quite a bit there; are you disappointed that I interrupted?"

Rolling her eyes at him, she finally managed to break free from his grasp. "Ugh…were you awake this _whole_ time?!"

His grin widened and his eyes danced with mischief, "But of course, I was even awake long enough to catch a glimpse of you sniffing my pillow- is that a habit of yours? Or maybe it's a kink? Or maybe…"

"Enough already!" She frowned at him as she chucked the pillow at his face suddenly, she cried out in pain and she looked at her side. Upon inspection, she realised that she still had a pretty nasty gash. _"Ouch."_ She winced.

"You know, you should really get that looked at. Can you remember what happened out there?"

"I just got overwhelmed by monsters and one of them managed to seal me so that I couldn't use any skills. I tried to escape but they didn't give me the chance to they just kept on attacking me and for everyone I managed to beat, it seemed like another two would appear in its stead. Eventually, I found a large enough window of time to finally escape and then I got the Airship back."

His eyebrows pulled together. "Why didn't you just cast escape until you got back to town?"

Tears welled up in her eyes. "I'm sorry it just didn't occur to me, I was so _scared_ \- I thought I was going to die and all I could think was that I wanted to see you again. Taking the Airship meant that I would end up closer to you. I was too shaky to even dig through my own bag pack for medicine- there was no one else on the Airship other than the Captain and he was too busy flying the thing to help me but when he saw how injured I was, he hurried back as quickly as he could however, he couldn't help me go any further as he had something important to do and I didn't want to inconvenience him and so I told him I would be fine.

"I'm sorry-of course, looking back _now_ , I should've cast the escape magic and just gone straight to the Clinic but at that time I figured that if it was the end for me then I wanted to spend my last moments with you." She choked on her own words.

Leon didn't speak up for the longest time and when he did, he sounded _really_ angry; his jaw was clenched tightly as he frowned at her. "You're just so reckless all the damn time, aren't _you?"_

Her expression became pained as she started to make a move. "I know, I'm sorry. I'm going to go to the Clinic now and get my wounds checked. I apologise for being a bother."

He rose from the chair and grasped her as she stood up, supporting her weight. "You're not a bother I just don't understand why you'd risk yourself like that. You're important to Venti and to Selphia but most of all, you're important to _me_!"

Her eyes widened at that. Leon wasn't known for expressing his emotions and so it baffled her when he did. "Am I really?"

"Of course you are, Princess, what would I have done if I'd lost you, huh?"

"Find a new teasing victim?" She joked, hoping to lighten up the mood as he helped her down the stairs as they made their way to the Clinic; she wondered if he realised that he was still wearing his night clothes not like that was the most important thing right now however, she knew he had a reputation to keep up.

"Funny. I'd like to say that it would be as simple as that but I wouldn't be able to replace you _that_ easily, after all, you're irreplaceable."

She blushed furiously at that and turned her head away, "D-don't tease me like that."

He laughed a little before murmuring. "Who says I'm teasing? You're _mine_ , Princess- as selfish as that sounds since I can never fully belong to you but…I'll give you as much of myself as I'm entitled to _that_ I vow to you."

* * *

A little while later, Leon was in the Clinic (now dressed in his normal clothes after he'd gone back to the Inn to change after he'd dropped Frey off) watching as Dr. Jones tended to her wounds.

He had her hand wrapped tightly in his as every now and again, she would make a noise like she was in pain and it terrified him and so he'd decided to comfort her as well as himself by offering more than just moral support.

As Dr. Jones worked on a cut on her leg, Leon was brushing her hair back with his free hand when she spoke up. "Leon…what _were_ you doing up so late or early, depending on how you look at it?"

He froze suddenly as he considered his response, "I was...thirsty and so I went to grab a drink."

"So…you woke up because you were thirsty…that's _it?_ Nothing more?" Her lips puckered as she looked up at him.

"If I told you that I experienced one of my 'bad nights' would you let this topic drop?"

She bit her lip at that and looked down. "I'm sorry for prying."

"Heh, stop apologising so much, you don't have to say _'sorry'_ for caring about my well-being, I know I'm being difficult but explaining my 'bad nights' means delving into other things as well and _right now_ , we need to be focusing on you since you know, you almost died an all."

Indeed, Leon could survive a million 'bad nights' if it meant that when he woke up, he could be with Frey. It terrified him- up until last night, he'd thought that if he lost her he'd be able to find some way to get through it and that he'd be prepared for such an occurrence however, he was quickly realising that Frey had a lust for living life on the dangerous side just like he did and that meant that there was more than just one _'permanent'_ way in which he could lose her.

Suddenly, he felt an overwhelming sense of fear overriding his senses. He shivered at the thought. He'd always just assumed that he'd lose her to someone else; another person would walk her down the aisle, have a family with her and grow old with her but now for the first time, he was realising another possibility and it terrified him. The thought that _if_ she stayed with him, she might not experience all of the things that life had to offer if by some cruel twist of fate, it was unexpectedly cut short and he might be the one to rob her of those chances.

If she stayed with him as they were now, she may experience first love, dating and adventure but he wouldn't be able to ever settle down with her if she so desired that, he wouldn't be able to teach her about family and about experiencing life with another person and living it to its fullest.

He _never_ wanted to cause another person he cared for suffering for the rest of their days- that truth still remained and it'd been one of the reasons he'd agreed to date Frey in the first place; if she _had_ no problem with his reluctance to marry, if she didn't _think_ that should stop their relationship from happening then he'd figured that turning her down would cause her more pain than not and he hadn't _wanted_ that.

Now, he found himself wondering if he shouldn't have been so damn selfish! He _should've_ turned her down, he _shouldn't_ have justified dating her no matter how much it would've killed him to see her with another and to not have given their relationship a chance. But-being the risk-taker that he is- there was just no way that he couldn't have taken the gamble…

 _"You promise, don't you Leon?"_

 _"Yes, Maria, I promise just…please stop crying, please! I can't stand it dear one."_

…He'd bound himself that very day. Granted, he couldn't have possibly known when he was _that_ young the course that his life would take later on but even if it'd taken a different course, he doubted it would've changed much- he still didn't feel for her the way she felt for him and besides, he didn't realise the truth until the day he became a Guardian. He'd have probably have been just as oblivious after all, without that life-changing moment, there may have never been a circumstance which would have allowed for him to come to a realisation about Maria's feelings for him. She _may_ have suffered in the same way she might have done when their lives took _this_ course; he'd just have been there to witness it.

He bent down to press a quick kiss against Frey's forehead as she watched him closely before moving to rest his chin on top of her head and closing his eyes. "Leon, is something wrong?" She whispered the words, like she thought that if she spoke too loudly, he might break into a million pieces.

 _Yes_ \- he thought to himself but what he said was... "It's nothing you should concern yourself with right now just…let me stay like this with you for the moment."

"O-okay." She murmured, her eyebrows pulling together in confusion as she looked at Dr. Jones who seemed to be ignoring them whilst concentrating on the task at hand. When she seemed satisfied in the knowledge that the doctor wouldn't make fun of them later on for this she looked up at him as best she could.

"Promise me you'll always be _here_ for me, Frey no matter what."

"I promise, Leon, I promise to be there for you in whatever way you need me. I'll never let you be alone. I know you can't say it back but...I love you, Leon and even if you decide that you no longer want to be with me; I'll always be grateful for all you've done for me and for letting me into your heart even if it's just a little bit because that's a piece of your heart that no one else has been allowed to have and I'll take whatever I can get."

Leon laughed a little at her words, "I'm not going to give you up, Frey, not ever- I'm a selfish and weak man; I'll only let you go if _you_ request it of me and even then, I'll fight for you until the bitter end because-like I said earlier- you're _mine_. I'm being cruel in a way- I want you to trust me and to give yourself to me even though I can't do the same for you however…I'll make it up to you by _always_ protecting you come what may and by making memories with you that you can treasure forever. It might not be much but it's the best I can offer right now. Is-is that enough?" He asked, sounding uncharacteristically insecure.

She moved so that she could press a kiss against his neck and she smiled a little as she imagined his cheeks turning a shade of pink. "It's enough, Leon. It's enough to last me a life-time."

* * *

So...another Chapter done, eh? *Yeahy for productiveness.* So...the other songs to inspire this piece were **'One Promise'** and **'To Die For'** by **The Birthday Massacre** (especially 'To Die For' as I've always seen that as Maria's song to Leon. Look it up, you'll see why.) There's also **'High Enough'** by **Nemesea Ft. Charlotte Wessels, 'Crying for No Reason'** by **Katy B** and- of course- like I said at the top, **'Snow Cherries From France'** by **Tori Amos**. I'll try to update this soon because I love writing about Leon but...I can't make any promises ( _again_ ). Until next time. xXx


	5. Past Remains Lead to a Promising Future

***Ahem*** Oh dear...it's been a while since I've posted anything on here. I'm so sorry to keep everyone waiting for updates on my story but I'm back now so...*Yeahy* One of the problems has been that this was the story I wanted to update first before updating one of my other stories and so I refused to start work on anything until I got this Chapter sorted because I wanted to give all of my dedication to this Chapter as I feel as if it is a very crucial piece of work- one of the most crucial I've ever done but now that's it's finished and now that I'm proud of it, I should be able to update one of my other stories (my 'Fire Emblem' one) very soon...hopefully.

So...Let me teach you an interesting bit of trivia (heh, see what I did there?), Leon actually has an official name provided in the manga adaptation of RF4 (yes, there actually is one, it's weird, the Guardians are rescued in a different order and all of them bar Dylas wake up from their Guardian forms without clothes on and- if I recall correctly, when Frey rescues Leon, Dylas covers her eyes with his hand to hide err...certain things from her view. Like I said, it's weird) and it's 'Leon Bastet VIII'. Yes, my Leon knowledge knows no bounds, I really do love him. =D And of course I couldn't pass up the opportunity to bring this up at some point in this Collection but since it's such a unique bit of information that isn't easily found, I didn't want to just make it a shabby story which is why I put so much effort into making it good. A huge difficulty came from the fact that this is a FreyxLeon story, if it was an origin story for their characters or if it focused solely on Leon's past then it would've been easier however, I had to find a way to relate it to current-day Selphia and here is what I came up with. I hope you like it.

Oh, yeah, I should mention that this story takes place after they're engaged but before they're married however, this story does delve a little into their 'private lives', I was very particular with the language I used as I personally wouldn't feel very comfortable using the language to explain that sort of thing outwardly and so it should be suitable for the _**'T'** rating_ **however** I wanted to put a warning here anyway in case you really don't like any mention of that sort of thing no matter how small.

...P.S. The actual title for the Chapter is 'Remains of the Past Lead to a Promising Future' but it was too darn long for the title insert! =/

 ***Warning*** Definite spoilers for Leon's marriage event.

*I own nothing to do with 'Rune Factory 4', its locations, characters etc.*

 **Rated T but does delve into mature topics but there is no actual mature content here and the language is very discreet and delicate so there's nothing here that should put you off but I wanted to warn you just in case.**

* * *

 **Chapter Five: Remains of the Past Lead to a Promising Future**

"I want this more than anything in the world, I'm not just doing this because of everything that has happened up until this point and I am not just rushing into this blind. If it wasn't for the fact that I was bound to my past, I would've done this a long time ago- I would've asked this of you shortly after we started dating because I wanted you to be mine and I wanted to be yours in return but I wasn't at liberties to ask but I am now and so I am asking you; will you marry me?"

Frey didn't move, didn't react, she was too startled by Leon's monologue to conjure up words suitable enough to be a decent reply to what he was asking of her. Her hand...in marriage?! It couldn't be…Leon was a flirt, a tease, a man who didn't like to have boundaries placed upon him and yet he was now asking for the chance to tie their hearts, their souls and their lives together for as long as they both should live? Impossible!

…And yet, Frey couldn't deny the fact that she wanted to say 'Yes' with all of her being. She loved Leon, she always had even when he teased and taunted her, even when he pushed her away or tried to protect her from things that she didn't need protecting from and even when she'd finally learned all about his secret; about his promise to Maria and she'd experienced first-hand the jealousy that comes with learning about the possibility that you might not be the only one with a claim on the heart of the one you wanted to spend the remainder of your days with. He'd only seen Maria as a sister but even when she'd learned that it didn't help because Maria had clearly wanted more and that had prevented her from aiding Leon when he needed her the most.

But thankfully, she'd finally been able to put her own selfish thoughts and desires aside in order to help Leon and thankfully it was worth it because now here he was- proposing to her and admitting that he'd wanted to for quite some time even when he wasn't allowed to.

Leon removed his hand from the top of her hand and turned to face away from her as he spoke up again, "It's embarrassing for me to admit but I guess…this is the best time to say all those embarrassing things that have been on my mind since the moment I met you because only one man can claim your hand in marriage and so I need to put my case forward in order to convince you to become mine."- He turned back to face her and smiled when he took in her stunned expression- "I-I want to be yours forever and I want you to be mine forever- no, I want us to be together for even longer than forever after all, it feels like it took me that long just to find you once and now that I have I never want to leave your side again. I want to wipe your tears away when you cry and make you smile. I want to show you all the amazing things that this world has to offer and protect you when you're in danger. I want to see you at your worst and be in awe of you when you're at your best and of course I want to tease you and see those cherry-red cheeks too…but most of all, no matter which life-time we find ourselves in, no matter what happens when we leave this life and no matter what happens during this life- I want to have the honour of vowing to be your husband. I want you to only have eyes for me in the same way that that is what you want from me. I want you, Frey, you're all I've ever wanted and all I will ever want and need. I've made a vow to protect you but please give me the chance to promise you even more than that and I will never let you down."

Despite the passionate speech he'd just given, Frey was still speechless. She took a step away from him and held her hands up; she couldn't bear to look at him in case there was any hurt or anger in his features. If he'd asked this of her at any other time during their nearly two-year-old relationship, she'd have said _'Yes'_ in a heartbeat so…what was the hold up?

"Frey?" He asked and his voice sounded uncharacteristically uncertain.

"How- How do I know that this isn't just some crazy reaction to what's just happened with Maria's letters? You've just promised her that you'll be happy but…how can you possibly know that being with me will make you happy how-"

She stopped talking when Leon took a step towards her and grasped her wrists in his large hands. She watched as he moved one of her hands towards his lips and took her glove between his teeth and started to pull it off slowly whilst staring intently into her eyes. When he'd removed both of the gloves he placed her hands against his cheeks- his skin was warm against her hands- he then moved them down his neck and finally moved them so they were resting against his chest; she could feel his heartbeat under her palm as he pulled her closer. He then moved his head so that he could whisper right into her ear:

"I love you, Frey."

She gasped audibly; he'd never said those three words to her before in all their time together even when she'd said it plenty of times to him.

"It's because I love you that I'd never just rush into anything without giving it some thought first- if I did and the consequences hurt you then I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. I wouldn't propose to you if I believed for a second that I'd regret it so…if that's your only reason for hesitating then please reconsider and if it isn't then stop trying to spare my feelings, I can handle it."

Before Frey was even aware of it, the word 'Yes' slipped out from between her lips whilst Leon was speaking but because she almost whispered it, he obviously didn't hear. Now she covered his mouth with her hands which Leon had previously released from his grasp whilst ranting.

"Yes, Leon, yes I will marry you."

Leon now appeared to be the one who was stunned into silence for a moment before he bent down to hug her and kiss her. When he pulled away, he murmured to her softly "I love you, Frey- with all of my heart and soul and from now on I will tell you that every day, you are my happiness, my future, my life and my everything and I have known that since the second I lay eyes on you when you came to my rescue. I have truly loved you since that moment- I was already smitten with you even then and I love you more than anyone else and will continue to do so for the rest of time and then some."

…And with that, Leon bent down to kiss her again and as the sun began to set over Leon Karnak, the now engaged couple looked towards the beginnings of their new lives together in which they promised to give to one another eternal happiness and love.

* * *

 **…**

 **… …**

 **… … …**

* * *

As Frey recalled the moments leading up to her now becoming the fiancée of the town tease, she couldn't help but feel nervous and happy all at the same time.

It was now about three weeks since the engagement and they were still making preparations for the marriage. Leon had wanted to hold the service as soon as possible but Frey had wanted to wait until summer after all, Leon's birthday was in summer and she'd also rescued him from Leon Karnak during that season, it was special to her and even if he didn't want to admit it, it was special to him too.

Everyone in town was excited. Volkanon, Vishnal and Clorica were sorting out the majority of the service whilst Dolce was working on the dress. Porco and Dylas were taking on the food and Meg was working on the music. Flower arrangements were being done by Illuminata and Amber and everyone else was working hard on tying up loose ends and the few remaining bits and bobs.

Meanwhile, the lives of the 'husband and bride to be' had still been relatively the same even though the rest of the town were bursting with excitement at the prospect of a wedding. They'd gone on a couple of dates and had discussed both the wedding and its plans and also the honeymoon and Leon had begun to move his stuff from his room at the Inn to Frey's room in the Castle and they'd both worked out which double bed they wanted but other than that, their relationship hadn't changes much.

Well…it had changed in some ways; Leon was a lot less guarded around her and was more open to being affectionate. Frey was admittedly a little worried as she knew Nancy and Jones got a lot of stick for being too overtly lovey-dovey in public but when Leon's lips brushed against her own or when he purred those three words to her or when he held her hand tightly in his own whilst smiling down at her with warmth in his piercing gaze she forgot all about her concerns- for once, she was going to think of her own happiness and Leon was her happiness; she'd never forsake that no matter what.

She'd also changed too; she laughed more than ever and had come to enjoy all of the small things Leon did for her as well as the big things. She'd also become a lot more…aware of certain feelings she had for Leon. Feelings that caused a warm sensation to bubble low in her stomach, whenever he kissed her, she found herself wanting more which was strange since both of them used to be hesitant to kiss passionately like they had been doing recently. Before they'd become engaged, Frey had asked Leon about his reasons and he'd said:

 _"Well…whenever I kiss you, I don't want to stop and I fear that if I do kiss you then it'll reach the point when I can no longer resist the temptation and I don't want to be held responsible for tainting Selphia's totally adorable warrior princess now, do I?"_

…Frey had had no idea what he meant by that but now having experienced her own uncontrollable desires, she had a better idea of what he'd meant when he had said that.

However, not all of her thoughts and experiences since becoming engaged had been quite so positive, this huge landmark in her life had brought up some past uncertainties that she'd long assumed she'd gotten rid of.

For example, when she'd been going around Selphia handing out invitations to all of her friends (not like that was necessary as they most probably would've already turned up regardless), she quickly realised just how few people she had to invite. Selphia was only a small town and she couldn't help but wonder how many invites she would've had to give out if only she could remember who she was before she lost her memories.

Another…more embarrassing example had been when she and Leon had discussed their state of erm…purity. Not like that had been the original discussion they were having, Frey had just been curious about if the idea of marriage had ever been something Leon had considered before. She'd found his response rather surprising:

 _…"No, not really. I mean, I just promised to marry Maria in order to cheer her up and as you found out, I forgot all about it until it was too late. Then after that I spent so much time training to be a priest and then eventually trying to come up with ways to save Venti that I never had the chance to be with someone in that way, let alone consider marrying them or starting a family. It's not like I wasn't open to the idea, I just…didn't get 'round to it."…_

She'd then gone on to ask him- admittedly blushing and looking down at the floor of his room all the while- if that meant that he'd never been _'intimate'_ with someone before. His eyes had widened so much at that question that she'd worried that they were going to fall out of his skull! When he eventually answered after what seemed like an infinite amount of time had passed, he'd simply stated that no, he hadn't been err… _'intimate'_ with someone before and _no_ , it wasn't because he was a priest or anything, he wasn't that traditional and stuffy, yet again, it was just because he was so preoccupied with other more important things that he'd never found the time to indulge himself in such things. So if she was looking to him for any indication as to how it was all supposed to work in preparation for their 'wedding night', then she was going to turn to someone else to find out…but only through talking to them, not by putting it into practice- like she was that naïve!

Then of course- after being so embarrassed by her questions and the answers he'd had to give he'd wanted to turn the tables on her and so he asked her if she'd ever been with someone in that way to which she reluctantly admitted _'Not since coming to Selphia.'_ Before drifting off whilst trying in vain to recall if there was any possibility of her having been so before she'd fallen from an airship with no recollection of her past.

Looking back, it had pained her to not be able to give him a complete answer; she'd then had to ask a difficult follow-up question: _"Would it change anything if I could remember that 'yes', I had been with someone in that way?"_

Luckily, he'd told her it wouldn't have changed anything because it was in the past and she was now marrying him and that he trusted that if his own response to her question had been _'yes', I have been with someone in that way'_ that she would feel the same? Which of course she would, but then…another thought had cropped up in her head- a thought that she hadn't found the courage within herself to voice out loud to him- _'What if I was- and still technically am- already married to someone else?'…_

Frey placed her hammer down onto her work surface, she'd been trying to craft something worthwhile for some time by this point but her recollection of that particular conversation sapped all of her willpower to carry on trying.

"I-I shouldn't be miserable, I should be happy- Leon wouldn't approve of seeing me so down about something like this…" She trailed off and stood in silence for a few minutes before plastering a huge grin on her face. "You know what? I should go and visit Leon- he's so busy working on that translation job for Arthur, if I'm not going to get any proper work done then I might as well take him some lunch, he'd like that."

…And so Frey set about preparing some grilled fish for the man who had promised to make her happy for the rest of eternity.

* * *

Leon was hard at work in his room, translating the rather long and dull text that had been given to him. He hadn't wanted to take the job on until after his wedding- and honeymoon since he had a feeling it'd take him a while however, Frey just had to go and open her big mouth and inform Arthur that'd she'd point-blank refused to go on her honeymoon with him until he'd gotten all of his current work done and the rest of his affairs in order, which then meant that since this job had been the last one he had left to tackle during his current bout of work that he'd been forced into taking it up and seeing it through to the bitter end.

Well…at least he'd gotten to choose the honeymoon location as recompense for Frey's involvement which in all honesty she didn't like one bit but it was his condition for agreeing to finish his work in the first place and she couldn't exactly say _'No'_ now, could she?

He was just sat there chuckling to himself when all of a sudden he heard the incoming sound of footsteps in the hallway; he knew who it was before she even burst through his door and he found himself beaming from ear to ear when he lay eyes on her. He honestly could not believe his luck- how had he come to claim the heart of the most genuine and adorable human being on the planet?

Frey sounded breathless as she bounded into his room carrying a parcel of food in her arms all the while smiling shyly at him. "I thought you might be hungry." She stated simply, he'd been expecting it as she'd said the same thing every time she'd come here whilst he was working on this particular job.

"Yes…I must say I am…"- He admitted before smiling coyly at her- "…But not for food."

She rolled her eyes at him but bent down to kiss him regardless- that had been his response to her every time she'd brought food for him. Since he was no longer shackled to his past, he saw no reason to hide his feelings for her anymore. Besides, teasing her was always a lot more fun when he got to be flirtatious about it.

However, beneath the surface, worry began to bubble inside of Leon's stomach, there was something incredibly important that he wanted to bring up with his future wife and he wasn't sure how she was going to react or respond but it was best to ask now…before the wedding, that way it wouldn't cause any complications later on.

She placed his food down on his table and he quickly unwrapped it and started to eat it- as the flavours began to overtake him, he found himself becoming distracted for a moment but despite that, his keen sense of hearing picked up on the small, defeated sigh that Frey made as she took a seat on the edge of his bed.

As he finished off his current bite of food he turned towards her and saw she was covering her face with her hands, her knees hunched in close to her chest- she looked uncharacteristically small and timid, strangely vulnerable…it hurt his heart seeing her like that. It was obvious to work out that she hadn't wanted him to see her looking so distressed but now that he had, he couldn't just ignore it.

He slowly moved over to sit next to her on the bed and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, she jumped slightly at the surprise contact and looked over at his food.

"It's going to go cold." She stated timidly.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Your point being…? How can I eat when something is clearly troubling you?"

"Troubled? I'm not troubled I-"- Her voice cut off as she began to sob. - "-I'm just fine."

Then she began to weep uncontrollably as she wrapped her arms tightly around Leon.

He held her like that for a while, rubbing his hand against her arm and making soothing sounds as she began to quieten down. Eventually, he couldn't hold back anymore and he asked her, "What's on your mind."

She remained silent apart from her few remaining sniffles.

He moved away from her a little so he could see her face better, he looked at her disapprovingly, "Now, now, Frey, don't keep secrets from me like that! I can't help you unless I know what's wrong."

So she told him all about her worries and concerns about the prospect of her previously being married and what that may mean for them as a couple.

"So that's it, Leon, that's what I'm so upset about. My past it…it's still a mystery even though so much has happened in my life since I lost all my memories of it. I have no family or if I do then they clearly aren't that concerned because no one has come looking for me nor has anyone here been able to find out anything about me. Apart from my first name and the fact I'm an Earthmate; everything else is still so uncertain, is my birthday really _my_ birthday? Why am I dressed the way I am? Why do I look the way I do? I mean I don't even have a last name; all I have is my first name! If I just even knew my full name then I might be able to find out more about whom I was- who I _am_!

"I think about all I learned about your past and I know in a strange way that I should be grateful I can't remember my past but I aren't- there are people out there who would just give up so much to forget even for a day but with our wedding coming up I feel like I can no longer afford to _not_ remember. I need to remember in case my past has any effect on you- on us. But I can't and I'm so sorry that I- I failed you so soon after it seemed like everything would be okay between us and…" She began to cry again and couldn't finish her thoughts. Her head still buried against Leon's chest she felt like such a fool and such a fraud, _what if the person she used to be was nothing like the woman Leon fell in love with?_ There was so much agony burning within her soul- she didn't know how to cope with any of it.

There was just silence between them for a few minutes and Frey had no idea what that meant. Suddenly Leon began to do something…unexpected…

…He began to laugh.

"H-hey! This isn't funny Leon."

"S-sorry." – He said although he didn't sound very sincere. – "It's just you don't have to be worried about any of that."

 **"Wha-?! Why?!"**

"Because regardless of whether or not you can remember your past it doesn't change where you are or who you are now. Yes, maybe you would've been different if all your memories had remained intact but the fact of the matter is they didn't which means that this person you are today…"- He placed his hand under her chin and turned her so she was facing him. – "This beautiful, kind, incredible woman is who you're meant to be. If you were married in the past, so what? You're marrying me now right? Would knowing that you were previously married change the fact that you want to marry me?"

She shook her head.

"See. You can't remember your friends and family, they're not here and until that changes- if it does- they won't be here to watch you grow even more than you already have done however, everyone in Selphia classes you as a friend- most of them even class you as family in one way or another- they celebrate your birthday even if it isn't your real one, they look out for you as is shown by what Xiao Pai did for you- for us and they've never treated you as an outsider or like you don't belong, have they?"

Again, Frey shook her head.

"-And as for your last name, that relates to something I've been meaning to bring up with you." He turned his head away and glanced at the glasses that she'd bought for him on one of their dates.

 _'…They're always together just like you and me…'_

"W-what is it?" She asked, her curiosity piqued by his words.

But Leon just went off on a tangent. "Everyone has troubles; I have my troubles with the trauma I suffered during my time in the tower, with what seemed like a never-ending slumber. My troubles with Maria and coming to terms with the mistakes I made in that regard and you have yours with the lack of memories and all the things that have caused you pain that you can remember however, when we get married we won't have to bear our burdens alone anymore; we'll be linked through our vows to share the good, the bad and the ugly come what may."

Frey sat up straighter on his bed and tried to get a better look at his face. "What's your point?" She asked him, her curiosity masking her former sadness.

Leon hesitated, "Well…since we'll be sharing everything else, why don't we share a last name?"

She choked suddenly at what his words were implying. " **Wha-!?** Bu-but Leon, neither of us has a last name!"

"I do." Leon stated bluntly.

 **"Since when?!"**

He turned to look at her then, a smirk playing at his lips. "Since before I even became a Guardian. My full name- Leon Bastet VIII- a full name that I never thought I'd be bringing up after leaving my original time; I just assumed that like every other aspect of my existence, it'd be lost to history after I passed on."

A spark of anger flashed across her features. "L-Leon, don't say things like _that!_ "

"Heh, there's the fire I love so much. But…now that I'm getting married, now that I don't have an excuse to hide it at least from you, I'm asking you will you adopt the last name of _'Bastet'_ in the stead of what your last name may have used to be. You may not remember your family and- I'm so sorry for how harsh this is going to sound but- you may never find your family again or you may not have any to speak of anyway and I may have wanted for my last name to disappear alongside me but now we have a chance to take that name and create our own family- to give it a sense of importance and significance that it's never had before to either you or me."

"Frey Bastet." She whispered as she was transported to a vision of their future together- under that name they could work hard to give it purpose- to give it form and maybe pass it on to their children if they had any. A symbol of their unity, their hopes for the future and a nod to their pasts as different and as similar as they were.

Leon moved suddenly and Frey yelped as she found herself laying on his bed with Leon looming above her. He bent down and nibbled at her ear before murmuring in a tone of voice that promised danger and intrigue and fun and beauty- that sultry deep voice of his, "So what do you think, Princess? An ode to the past and a promise of a future together?"

She placed her hands on his chest and turned to press a kiss against her cheek. "I think it's the best idea you've ever had, Leon, I accept that name and I accept your heart for always and forever."

* * *

Da-dah! It's done and dusted. Thank you for being so patient with me, I hope to start updating things properly again but I'm more busy than I've ever been before and my priority now is my 'Fire Emblem' story because I've kept so many people waiting with that one which is a horrible thing to do and I'd hoped to never disappoint people in that way but alas, I have done and now I need to put it right. But, if you carry on being patient with me, an update for this story will materialise in the future. Until next time. xXx


End file.
